Fall Shoes & Accessories I'm loving!

October 15, 2018

Hi everyone! I hope you're having a great start to your week. It's been gloomy in NYC for what feels like weeks now. We had one gorgeous day on Friday but it's been nothing but clouds on the east coast. The clouds haven't stopped me from enjoying this cooler weather though! We've had such a mix of hot and cold weather, it's insane. It went from 85 on Thursday to 55 on Friday. So crazy. On Saturday Tom and I drove down with our friends to Terhune Orchards in Princeton and had the best time apple and pumpkin picking and wine tasting. We also had their amazing apple cider doughnuts! It drove home and watched scary movies while drinking apple cider, it was the ultimate fall day! Speaking of which, I wanted to share some fall accessories that I've been loving lately. Let me know what you think!


Thanks so much for reading today's post!

Xo,
Maia

Europe Travel Guide: London & Ireland

October 3, 2018

Sipping on a Red Velvet Latte at Elan Cafe
Happy Wednesday, everyone! I'm back with a travel post sharing my travel guide for London and Ireland. I say Ireland because even though we only intended to Dublin we ended up renting  car and driving through the lush countryside coast to coast! It was amazing!

London:

Some of you that have followed me might remember that I went to London 3 years ago with my friend Cynthia but this time around I went with Tom and was able to explore and we were able to explore a whole new side of London together.

I might be a native New Yorker but London is my most favorite, favorite city in the entire world! There's something so charming, sophisticated and unique about London that the first time I went I immediately looked up how to get a working visa to move and work there haha! Good thing I didn't or else I wouldn't have met Tom just 2 months later :) Everything happens for a reason.

London is a big city with lots of neighborhoods. You can easily get around using the tube, which is like their subway service or their famous double decker buses. The tube is so easy to navigate, especially if you're familiar with the NYC subway lines! And the trains run so much better than in NYC, being that we were only there 48 hours, we were grateful!

The first day we arrived bright an early but little did we know it was a bank holiday and that a lot of businesses were closed or opened later in the day. It was also Carnival in our neighborhood in Notting Hill, which we also had no idea about! haha boy we're we in for a surprise. Typically 2 million people visit London for Carnival and it was taking place just 2 blocks from where we were staying! Absolute craziness, I've never seen a party like it haha. So we stayed in Notting Hill because it's absolutely adorable and because it's also one of my favorite movies! LOL Anyone else a fan of 90's era Hugh Grant?

While we waited to check into our Airbnb we wandered around aimlessly for 6 hours stopping by the super instaworthy Elan Cafe which is gorgeous! Not only is it instaworthy with it's flower walls and adorable pastries, the brunch we had was actually really delicious! It's an allergy sufferers dream too! As a person with many allergies myself,  I was thrilled to find out their long list of milk substitutes and every dish was made with the healthiest ingredients. I got a coconut milk and quinoa porridge with fresh fruits and Tom got Avocado Toast with an egg on it and a red velvet latte! I'm crossing my fingers they open one in NYC!

View from the London Eye
We also went to the London Eye and I showed Tom around Parliament, Buckingham Palace and Hyde Park. The highlight for the both of us was the Harry Potter Studio Tour. We're both huge Harry Potter fans and went to visit the Warner Bros. Studio in Waterford, about 35 minutes outside of London. They filmed all 8 movies on that set and had tons of the original sets, props and costumes from all the movies.

Harry's Invisibility Cloak & original cast costumes

Other things to do: London Eye, Victoria Park

Restaurants: Punjab - the best Indian food I've ever had! and Portobello Ristorante Pizzeria

Ireland:
The Cliffs of Moher
Have you ever traveled somewhere and thought to yourself, this feels more like home than home does? That was Ireland for me. Maybe I was Irish in a past life but there was something about it that was so familiar, it just felt like a home to me. The people were incredibly kind, so welcoming and went out of their way to help us every single time we got lost. We stayed at an Airbnb right behind Dublin Castle in the center of Dublin and were 15 minutes walking distance from all the major tourist attractions.

Going to Ireland was more than just a vacation, there was something spiritual about Ireland. From the fresh air, the kindness surrounding us and the lush green rolling hills. I got emotional just looking around at such a beautiful country. I completely understood they were so proud of their country. It reminded me a lot of Puerto Rico, both are incredibly family oriented cultures. They love their food and drink and they work to live, not live to work like we do here in NYC.


While we were in Dublin we went to the Jameson Distillery and the Guinness Storehouse which were both great. They reminded me a bit of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory; consider them amusement parks for adults - haha! I also got to hang out with my friend Catherine from The Dainty Dress diaries and she's just grand (as she would say!). She's one of the kindest, funniest people I've ever met and we actually got to know each other through our blogs & Instagram. She's a Dublin native and was so helpful when planning our trip! Thanks Dainty! XO

If you're looking for a traditional Irish meal and pub experience, I'd recommend O'Neill Pub & Kitchen. It happens to be the oldest pub in Dublin, opened in 1713 and the food was delicious! I was a little skeptical of the food but I was pleasantly surprised. We also had a delicious meal when we went down to Cork. Tom's grandmother was from Cork and we think she immigrated by herself to Brooklyn, very similar to the movie Brooklyn! So Tom and I drove down to Cork and had the cutest lunch at a restaurant called The Market Lane. Their french onion soup was so good!


The highlight of Ireland for me was the Cliffs of Moher. Right on the West Coast of Ireland, 3 1/2 hours away from Dublin is the most beautiful sight I've ever seen. Over 5 miles of cliffs overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. They are so enormous, you can't help but feel teeny tiny. We walked across the cliffs for about 2.5 hours and at one point I just sat and cried and as I cried, I prayed and the sun began to peak through the clouds. It was one of the most spiritual moments of my life. I had been wanting to come to the Cliffs for so many years. I had seen it in so many movies and saw so many pictures but never imagined I'd actually get to go and there I was sitting overlooking the ocean and the sun was shining down on me and all I could do was thank God for bring me to that place in that moment. It was incredible!

Blarney Castle
Blarney Gardens

Other things to do: Trinity College, Blarney Castle

Other restaurants: Bull & Castle, The Market Lane in Cork

Well that's enough of me rambling. Every time I go to Europe, I never want to leave and I hope to live there one day but for now it will remain my favorite place to travel. Thanks so much for reading today's super long post but I just had so much to share haha. Don't forget to check out the vlog!

Xo,
Maia

9 Sweaters you need for fall

September 20, 2018


It's finally starting to cool down here in NYC and I'm so excited! There's something so charming about NYC in the fall. The cute and cozy coffee shops, the colorful leaves covering the brownstone lined streets and lots of comfy sweaters! These 9 sweaters are all in my shopping cart at the moment and I just had to share!



3. Kent Colorblock Cardigan Sweater - currently 25% off with code HEARTEYES

4. Ruffled Tie-Front Pullover Sweater - currently 25% off with code HEARTEYES





9. Kent Striped Cardigan Sweater in Heather Chambray - currently 25% off with code HEARTEYES

Thanks so much for reading today's post!

Xo,
Maia

Europe Travel Guide: Amsterdam and Geneva

September 18, 2018

Swinging at the A'dam Lookout

Happy travel Tuesday, friends! I know my travel posts are LONG overdue but thanks for being patient while I got back into the grove of things. It's been almost 3 weeks since I've been back I think? haha and I can't stop reminiscing of the good days spent since Europe. I'm splitting my trip into 2 posts and including vlogs! I know, I just started vlogging and I'm loving it. I'll do a further in depth post as to why I've decided to do so but I'm excited to share with you all. Now let's get to the travel guide...


Top: Bershka, Shorts: Treasure & Bond, Sneakers: old

Amsterdam

We arrived to Amsterdam first and after feeling super jetlagged we were determined to explore the city and walked SO MUCH. That's definitely expected in Europe but I think it's the best way to explore a new city. We stayed at Hotel Casa Amsterdam which was about 30 minutes out of center city but we much preferred it that way. There's so much commotion in the center city and everyone travels by bike, we almost got run over by bikes so many times and we liked being in a more of a residential area and being around lots of quaint restaurants.

Things to do:

Amsterdam was such a chill city, not the most friendly people. Nobody was outwardly friendly or courteous which was kinda weird being from the states. Either way we had a really great time and tried the following activities that I would totally recommend! Let me first start off with I'm pretty afraid of heights and this Europe trip definitely took me out of my comfort zone. I did not one but two things that most people afraid of heights would not do. Tom and I swung off of the A'dam lookout which I gotta say is so cool! It was part of a 3-part excursion experience, A'dam lookout swing, a canal cruise and the Heineken experience. The A'dam lookout is a large red swing that hangs over a building - I know sounds crazy and it is BUT you're strapped in and the swing just barely goes over the building but you feel as if you're going right over. They took pictures of us and even a video! I'll include it in my instastories!

The canal cruise from the A'dam lookout was a 45 minute ride through the canals and it was absolutely adorable! The architecture is so charming in Amsterdam and the residents keep such good care of their homes. At the end of the canal cruise we arrived at the Heineken Experience which was a full tour of the Heineken factory. I'm not a huge beer fan but it reminded me so much of Willy Wonka and Chocolate Factory. It was like an amusement park for adults! Lots of interactive exhibits and a few beers at the end of the tour!

Other things to do: Rijksmuseum and Biking

Heineken Experience
Rijksmuseum

Restaurants: 


Where to eat: Pancake Bakery is an absolute must while visiting Amsterdam. I had no idea Amsterdam was known for their pancakes and waffles but I'm so happy we found out! I am a huge breakfast fan, I mean who am I kidding I'm a huge foodie but pancakes hold a special place in my heart. The Pancake Bakery is right on the canal and is the perfect breakfast spot. It is open until 9:30pm if you're looking for a sweet nighttime treat. Be prepared to eat pancakes larger than you're face but don't worry they only serve you one haha! There were unlimited toppings and they were so good! I'd recommend trying the plain one with bacon but my boyfriend had the nutella and banana pancake and said it was divine!

Other restaurants: Stek and De Vergulden Eenhoorn

Geneva

Things to do:

We stayed at an Airbnb and it was fine. It wasn't my favorite Airbnb but it worked considering it had a washer/dryer and we were thrilled to do some laundry. It also was in a pretty great location, it was across the water from Old Town Geneva but it was only a 5 minute walk to the bridge. Old Town Geneva was adorable and it was nice to see more residential Geneva as we took the local bus up to Mont Saleve. Geneva borders France so it was literally a 15 minute bus ride to France, crazy! We were told that often French people work in Geneva because they can make up to 3x the salary in Geneva than they would in France but the cost of living in France is significantly less than in Switzerland. Note that things are expensive, very expensive. A hot dog was $8 and being from New York I'm used to getting one for maybe $2? So that was a bit of a shock but restaurant meals were reasonably priced and other activities we found to be so cheap! Our first night there we rented a small motor boat to take on the water for only $90! We spent 2 hours cruising with some rose as the sun set and it is one of the greatest memories I'll have from that trip. Tom took the lead and navigated us through Lake Geneva and it was just amazing. The four of us cruising on the water in our bathing suits awing at the huge mansions on the mountains and seeing the Alps in the distance - so beautiful. 

We also did the craziest thing I've ever done - paragliding! I'm not a fan of heights, and I initially opted out of this group activity but Tom being the outdoorsy, adrenaline junkie that he is convinced me to do it. He coordinated private paragliding sessions for all of us right at the border of Switzerland and France and we met with the nicest instructor who went up with each of us for about 15-20 as we soared above Lake Geneva. It was such an authentic experience! Our instructor, Cyril, met us at the bottom of the mountain and drove us up these winding roads to the very top of Mont Saleve where we were greeted with nothing but green mountainous views as far as the eyes could see. There was the cutest barn with a coffee shop and cows! 

Other things to do: Geneva Beach, Ferris Wheel, shopping, lots of luxury shopping!


Restaurants:

I know this might be surprising since I'm from New York and we have some of the best Italian restaurants around but I had by far the best lasagna I've ever had in my life, ever in Geneva. There were nights where Tom and I would just have dinner by ourselves instead of the 4 of us and it was so special. Like I've written so many times before, date nights with Tom are my favorite and it was extra special that we made time for date nights while out traveling with our friends. We were both in the mood for Italian since we love Italian food so much and we checked on Yelp for some recommendations. We saw that Restaurant Il Fornello Napoletano had the best ratings and everyone raved about their lasagna. I love lasagna, I love all pasta but lasagna holds a special place in my heart. Once I saw that they raved about the lasagna I told Tom, we gotta try it! So off we went to a place about 10 minutes from our Airbnb, a really simple restaurant on the corner and we sat outside. The seafood lover that Tom is ordered Shrimp Scampi but everywhere we went throughout Europe didn't have your typical version of shrimp scampi. This restaurant's version was yet an even more unique version. His had fresh tomatoes, hugmongous prawns and a creamy almost marsala style sauce. Different but still yummy. I had the baked lasagna and you guys, it was a dream. It was rich, cheesy, so savory and served in a mini cast iron dutch oven. It was so good!

Other great restaurants: Auberge de Saviese - best fondue and Riverside Cafe - such cute vibe, delicious drinks and yummiest Cesar salad, right on the water.


Thanks so much for reading today's post!

Xo,
Maia


What's in my travel bag?

September 5, 2018


Top: Socialite, Shorts: Treasure & Bond , Mules: Steve Madden, Tote: Longchamp, Sunnies: Le Specs

Happy Wednesday, everyone! I'm writing to you from my comfy couch, we are back home! We just arrived back from Dublin and I must say it's such an adorable city! I can't believe the past two weeks have flown by so fast! It was such a wonderful time and was especially nice since it was significantly cooler in Europe than back in NYC and we all know how much I love fall weather! :) While the weather forecast fooled me and I didn't pack appropriately clothing wise, my travel bag did not let me down. I wanted to share what's in my travel bag and what items are a MUST when traveling anywhere!

Because we were traveling internationally and were going to be so far from home I wanted to be prepared. Super prepared. I'm notorious for underpacking and forgetting the necessities so this time around I started packing 3 weeks before the trip.

I found this awesome purse organizer that fit perfectly in my middle sized Longchamp. Large tote bags are my favorite for traveling because you can just throw everything in there. This organizer was so helpful and had compartments for my wallet, passport, chargers, medicines - literally everything! I found it on Amazon for under $15 and has small handles so you can easily take it out and use it in your other bags.

This portable phone charger has been a total lifesaver in Europe. It doesn't require any extra cords and comes in this adorable pink color! Since I took a nighttime flight, I made sure to have these wipes handy to wipe off the day. I later applied my makeup once we landed but I tried my best to sleep with a clean face. Speaking of sleep, I've never been much of an airplane sleeper. It's always been hard for me to fall asleep but this sleeping mask saved me! It made such a difference and made sleeping so much easier for me. I also brought an extra blanket and these fuzzy socks for the airplane because I get so cold on flights! My goal is to be as comfortable as possible while traveling. Sometimes I get nervous on flights or tend to worry about traveling in general so I try to bring anything to calm me down including my kindle to read. I just started reading Crazy Rich Asians and I can't put it down!

What are some of your travel must haves? Let me know in the comments!

Thanks so much for reading today's post!

Xo,
Maia


Latest Instagrams

© The Petite Principle. Design by FCD.